Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > Training

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 10-30-2003, 10:36 AM   #1
indomaresa
Dojo: Aiki Kenkyukai
Location: Indonesia
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 176
Offline
Food Effect on training

hiya,

i was wondering, did anybody notice the effects of food on their training?

I didn't get any advice or material on this subject, but I noticed a pattern; I train aikido better on an empty stomach.

It's torture, and all technique takes an enormous effort, but really, really good awase ( blending ) can happen then. Which is impossible for me when I'm loaded and healthy.

As a matter of fact, I realized several aikido principles during sessions when I forgot to eat.

I'd like to hear some comments on this

The road is long...
The path is steep...
So hire a guide to show you the shortcuts
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2003, 12:07 PM   #2
Nick Simpson
Dojo: White Rose Aikido - Durham University
Location: Gateshead
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 916
United Kingdom
Offline
I usually work better on a full stomach, because otherwise I lack the energy to take lots of ukemi. I always try and eat 3 hours before a class so that my meal is fully digested but ive still got enough energy to practice.

They're all screaming about the rock n roll, but I would say that it's getting old. - REFUSED.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2003, 12:42 PM   #3
Brehan Crawford
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 45
Offline
I don't enjoy physical exercise of any kind if my stomach is actually full--as in, if I've just eaten a meal, as I feel bloated and my body is working extra hard since I'm not only exerting myself by training but also digesting.

What Nick said is really true though--the last thing I want is to have low blood sugar when doing a marathon of ukemi practice.

I generally try to have a light snack about an hour or so before class, and then when class is over I go home, shower, and am ready for a nice big meal.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2003, 04:06 PM   #4
mj
Location: livingston, scotland
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 715
Offline
A full nutritious meal between 2-4 hours before practice, depending on your constitution (you will know your own).

(A light pasta meal 2 hours before is ideal, imo)

If you feel the need for blood sugar... gatorade, lucozade, sugary soft drinks 30 mins - 1 hour before practice, maybe some chocloate.

You should make sure to have something after practice as well, especially liquids (not alcohol, well more non-alcohol than alcohol anyway, twice as much non-alcohol minimum), followed by a light snack or a full breakfast the next morning.

The main thing is not to think of eating in terms of days, but in months.

  Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2003, 06:11 PM   #5
Jeanne Shepard
 
Jeanne Shepard's Avatar
Dojo: Puget Sound Aikikai
Location: Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 351
Offline
A full stomach and alot of ukemi do not mix.

Jeanne
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2003, 08:31 PM   #6
jk
Location: Indonesia
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 245
Offline
There are several students in our dojo who are fasting during the daylight hours of Rahmadan. We start practice about an hour after they break their fast. This doesn't make for an ideal training situation: Their stomachs are digesting newly ingested food while their blood sugar levels may still be somewhat depleted. The fact that they still come to train says something about their character, at the very least.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2003, 01:28 AM   #7
Abasan
Dojo: Aiki Shoshinkan, Aiki Kenkyukai
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 813
Malaysia
Offline
Actually john kuo, this year is just fine because we have at least 1 hr to digest before class. Last year, i had 15 mins. So all i could eat was three dates and a glass of water. anything more risks coming out after some serious ukemi.

Reading the glycemic index of certain foods, i found that snickers and m&ms are actually quite low to even white processed carbs. this make it an ideal snack to give you energy before class at the same time not fill you up like a real meal would.

Myself, i always eat after class not before if i can help it. you try and touch your toes after a full meal if you think otherwise and wear a hakama.

Draw strength from stillness. Learn to act without acting. And never underestimate a samurai cat.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2003, 06:13 AM   #8
Nick Simpson
Dojo: White Rose Aikido - Durham University
Location: Gateshead
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 916
United Kingdom
Offline
I ate a couple of pies last saturday about 10 minutes before training started because Id slept in and had been drinking the night before, so I was really hungry. One of the Shodan joked that he would make me take hip throws all class to make them come back up, but after 2 hours of ukemi I wasnt sick. I was quite proud, so after class I ate the other 2 pies I had :0

They're all screaming about the rock n roll, but I would say that it's getting old. - REFUSED.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2003, 08:11 AM   #9
Kevin Wilbanks
Location: Seattle/Southern Wisconsin
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 788
Offline
To summarize: gatorade, sugary soft drinks, snickers bars, m&m's, pies... the pre-workout nutrition of champions.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2003, 10:16 AM   #10
Jim ashby
Dojo: Phoenix Coventry
Location: Coventry, England
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 303
Offline
So Nick. YOU ate all the pies!!

Vir Obesus Stola Saeptus
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2003, 12:41 PM   #11
indomaresa
Dojo: Aiki Kenkyukai
Location: Indonesia
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 176
Offline
My dojo also has several members who're fasting. But the amazing thing is that on sundays, they break their fast AFTER training for one and a half hour.

I often did involuntary fasting because my office hours and the dojo hours are too close, often hafta run and forego lunch.

just reading this thread makes me hungry, i'm gonna make some noodle...

Last edited by indomaresa : 10-31-2003 at 12:44 PM.

The road is long...
The path is steep...
So hire a guide to show you the shortcuts
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2003, 02:02 PM   #12
Anders Bjonback
Dojo: Boulder Aikikai
Location: Boulder, CO
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 129
Offline
Just yesterday, I noticed that they had free candy in the dojo before Ukemi class. So I ate four or five milky way bars, and other candy. Then we did lots of breakfalls, which my stomach didn't particularily like.

Basically, if I don't eat right, I end up with big stomache cramps during class.

I've tried only eating a couple energy bars before a class, and that didn't work (particularily because we did shinai randori that class).

"For peace and happiness are presences, not objects we can grasp and hold onto."
--Lilian Smith
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2003, 02:50 AM   #13
markwalsh
Dojo: Airenjuku Brighton
Location: On the road - UK
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 514
United Nations
Offline
What's it like training before breaking a fast? Hard I guess. How did your dojo members find it Maresa? Any effect on their psychology?

Personally I've found eating 2-3 hours before training is best, preferably a veggie meal with plenty of carbs. For mornings I opt for coffee and bananas.

On a related note, has anyone moved from a country where most aikidoka drink alcohol at some point in their week, to a country where this doesn't happen? Did you notice any differences in training/ performance?

Mark

x
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2003, 04:59 AM   #14
indomaresa
Dojo: Aiki Kenkyukai
Location: Indonesia
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 176
Offline
Gee Anders, I wish my dojo offers free candy.

Or maybe the candies are provided as a trap for the untrained aikidoka.^^

Got you.

My dojo members are taking it easy, so the training didn't really tax their strength. But I remember several years back when I was badly koshinage-ed by a brown belt who is fasting. No control, and somewhat lacking in co-ordination.

You know, after reading this thread I realized I don't eat enough before training.

maresa

The road is long...
The path is steep...
So hire a guide to show you the shortcuts
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2003, 07:58 AM   #15
Michael Karmon
Dojo: Aikido Jerusalem
Location: Jerusalem Israel
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 56
Offline
Re: Food Effect on training

As a rule, I never eat more then a fruit less then 4 hours before class and I usually try to avoid meat and poultry on a practice day.

I have a good cup of coffee an hour before class (it takes me 45 minutes to get from work to Dojo so it is the last coffee of the day).

Some of my teachers claim that training after a fasting day is good for you because it forces you to practice on spirit, will and Ki rather using your physical stamina. Thy claim that Aikido should be effortless. Taking Ukemi is done using your own mass movement and with relaxed muscles and controlled breathing rather then jumping up and down on aerobic drive. If performing as Nage makes you tiered then you are over-doing it. Practicing with low blood-sugar will help you bring these values out.

No matter how hungry I get to class, 5 minutes into Ukemi and forget about my stomach and focuse on that quickly appoaching tatami.

Eat, Sleep, Exercise and watch out for cars
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2003, 08:51 AM   #16
rachmass
Dojo: Aikido of Cincinnati/Huron Valley Aikikai
Location: Somerset Michigan
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 794
Offline
I hate eating after aikido, because then I'm going to bed less than two hours after eating (like to go to sleep on an empty stomach), so I always eat before class. Usually eat lightly before class, like a banana and a piece of toast, or best of all, a handful of almonds. Actually I find that almonds are the best pre-training food for me, as they keep my blood sugar levels constant and give a boost to energy.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2003, 10:17 AM   #17
Nick Simpson
Dojo: White Rose Aikido - Durham University
Location: Gateshead
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 916
United Kingdom
Offline
Yes James, I ate all the pies, muwahahahaha!

They're all screaming about the rock n roll, but I would say that it's getting old. - REFUSED.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-05-2003, 10:36 PM   #18
Abasan
Dojo: Aiki Shoshinkan, Aiki Kenkyukai
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 813
Malaysia
Offline
Used to train in the saturday afternoon classes and sunday morning classes about 2hrs to 8hrs before breaking fast. No effect, except you're a bit thirsty. No lost of control either.

A beginner who just started class last week (during the first day of fasting no less) only drinks water to break fast. He eats way late after class (about 10pm or three hours after possible breakfast)cause us jerks keep him in dojo after class to train with us extra. :P

Frankly, all this pie talk is making me hungry. mmmm...pie. Must eat pie...

Draw strength from stillness. Learn to act without acting. And never underestimate a samurai cat.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2003, 06:25 AM   #19
ian
 
ian's Avatar
Dojo: University of Ulster, Coleriane
Location: Northern Ireland
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,654
Offline
Depends on type of training. For extended aerobic exercise best to do 'pasta loading' i.e. eat lots of pasta for several days before and about 2 hours or more before exercising. However eventually this will turn you into a fat bu**er if you don't exercise enough. (although other carbohydrates are useful, pasta seems to be able to give that real burst of energy that you can't get from rice or potatoes).

Lots of green vegetables also essential.

Ian

---understanding aikido is understanding the training method---
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2003, 08:31 AM   #20
Dario Rosati
Dojo: Zanshin - Milan
Location: Milan
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 71
Offline
I train from 20 to 21:30, with completely free stomach, and have a beef+non cooked vegetables dinner after (or pizza with the friends of the dojo )

I only make a bigger lunch, around 13:00, the days I do Aikido than in normal days.

This is the best compromise for me, the day I had my first stage at 15:00 i had lunch at 13:30 and felt really more "heavy" on training with so few time passed from lunch.

--
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2003, 04:19 PM   #21
Amassus
 
Amassus's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido Musubi Ryu/ Yoshin Wadokan
Location: Hamilton
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 306
New Zealand
Offline
I have to eat before class, usually 2 hours before works fine for me. It gets my blood sguar to good levels and digestion is complete. This is a personal thing however, another aikidoka I know must eat three hours before training.

"flows like water, reflects like a mirror, and responds like an echo." Chaung-tse
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2003, 04:56 PM   #22
mj
Location: livingston, scotland
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 715
Offline
My wife sometimes attacks me when I am eating.

  Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2003, 05:53 PM   #23
Nick Simpson
Dojo: White Rose Aikido - Durham University
Location: Gateshead
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 916
United Kingdom
Offline
Because your food isnt digested yet is it harder for you to throw her?

They're all screaming about the rock n roll, but I would say that it's getting old. - REFUSED.
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2003, 10:52 PM   #24
Jeanne Shepard
 
Jeanne Shepard's Avatar
Dojo: Puget Sound Aikikai
Location: Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 351
Offline
Because you're eating her food?

Jeanne
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-10-2003, 01:10 AM   #25
Michael Karmon
Dojo: Aikido Jerusalem
Location: Jerusalem Israel
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 56
Offline
Quote:
Jeanne Shepard wrote:
Because you're eating her food?

Jeanne
Perhaps his wife's cooking can be considered as a form of attack?

Eat, Sleep, Exercise and watch out for cars
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Training, Training, & More Training? L-I-V-I-N-G Anonymous 6 01-13-2006 11:37 PM
Training at Hombu - is it worth it? Josh Reyer General 22 12-27-2005 01:22 PM
Training with kids Amassus Training 5 02-12-2004 06:03 PM
*Really* Tough Training… jxa127 Training 29 05-09-2001 07:49 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:44 AM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate